Apparatus and methods for supporting an article

Abstract

A mount for supportably engaging an article. The mount includes a bulbous member that may include a convexly shaped surface area. The convexly shaped surface area may be supportively contactable with a first interconnect portion of a carrier member. An attachment member that is operatively associable with a device may be removably engageable with a second interconnect portion of the carrier member. The carrier member may be moved throughout a continuum of positions defined by the convexly curved surface area of the bulbous member. Additionally, the bulbous member may be supportably engaged by a variety of embodiments of support structures for supporting or mounting the mount.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A mount system for supporting a device, the system comprising:
 a carrier member comprising an interconnect portion; and   an attachment member operatively associable with a device, the attachment member being removably attachable to the interconnect portion of the carrier member, wherein the device is supportably engageable with the interconnect portion;   wherein the carrier member comprises at least one magnet and the attachment member comprises a magnetically interactive portion that does not include a magnet, wherein magnetic interaction between the at least one magnet of the carrier member and the magnetic portion of the attachment member is operable to selectively establish supportive contact between the interconnect portion and the attachment member and removable attachment of the attachment member to the interconnect portion.   
     
     
         32 . A mount system according to  claim 31 , wherein the at least one magnet is operable to register the attachment member relative to the interconnect portion. 
     
     
         33 . A mount system according to  claim 32 , wherein the at least one magnet provides repeatable positional registration between the attachment member and the carrier member. 
     
     
         34 . A mount system according to  claim 33 , wherein the repeatable positional registration comprises centered engagement of the attachment member with respect to the carrier member. 
     
     
         35 . A mount system according to  claim 31 , wherein the interconnect portion is substantially planar. 
     
     
         36 . A mount system according to  claim 35 , wherein the attachment member comprises a correspondingly planar surface. 
     
     
         37 . A mount system according to  claim 36 , wherein the attachment member is a shape corresponding to a shape of the interconnect portion. 
     
     
         38 . A mount system according to  claim 36 , wherein the attachment member has a shape different than the shape of the interconnect portion such that at least a portion of the attachment member overhangs the second interconnect portion when the carrier member is in contact with the attachment member. 
     
     
         39 . A mount system according to  claim 36 , wherein the attachment member comprises an annular disk. 
     
     
         40 . A mount system according to  claim 36 , wherein the attachment member is a polygonal shape. 
     
     
         41 . A mount system according to  claim 31 , wherein the attachment member is secured directly to the device. 
     
     
         42 . A mount system according to  claim 41 , wherein the attachment member is secured to the device by an adhesive. 
     
     
         43 . A mount system according to  claim 31 , wherein the attachment member is operatively attached to a cover engageable with the device. 
     
     
         44 . A mount system according to  claim 43 , wherein the attachment member comprises an integrated portion of a cover engaged with the device. 
     
     
         45 . A mount system according to  claim 31 , wherein the device comprises an integrated attachment member. 
     
     
         46 . A mount system according to  claim 31 , wherein the supportive contact of the attachment member with respect to the carrier member is established only by the magnetic interaction between the at least one magnet and the magnetically interactive portion. 
     
     
         47 . A mount system according to  claim 31 , wherein the carrier member comprises an over-molded enclosure formed about the magnet to define the interconnect portion. 
     
     
         48 . A mount system according to  claim 31 , wherein the carrier member is supportably engaged by a base member. 
     
     
         49 . A mount system according to  claim 48 , wherein the carrier member is selectively positionable relative to a base member. 
     
     
         50 . A mount system according to  claim 49 , wherein the base member is secured to a substrate by way of a suction cup to support the mount system.